Revamp for mini-golf course in Bognor Regis

Mr Tiernan has been granted the longest lease along the town's seafront by Arun District Council.

The 25-year deal will see him through until December, 2029. He said: "I want to improve the site because there's a lot of changes coming to Bognor in the next few years.

"I've got a rolling capital programme of 40,000 which I will be spending in the next three to four years."

The refurbishments will cover the entire site at Waterloo Square's southern end opposite the pier. The work includes 12 Victorian street lanterns, a complete refit of the 18 holes and all new buildings, such as a windmill, watermill and lighthouse.

He also wants to secure the northern boundary along an adjoining footpath with railings to match those on the other sides of the course. This will enable landscaping to replace the current range of bushes.

The investment will come after he has spent some 10,000 getting the course ready for this summer's business as part of his regular maintenance programme.

The decision to award the new deal was made by Cllr Paul Wotherspoon, who is in charge of Arun's concessions.

Council concessions officer Mary Campling said: "We are very impressed with Mr Tiernan. We could not ask for a better concession holder. He keeps his site up to date and it looks really good."

Mr Tiernan was granted a 21-year lease in 1992 when he received Arun's approval to open the course on a council-owned patch of land which was an eyesore. It had some children's rides on it but had suffered vandalism and still bore the remains of an entertainment marquee from earlier years.

Mr Tiernan (53) opened the golf course at Easter, 1993 with his wife, Carol. The approaching end of his original lease and the need for substantial investment prompted him to seek a new deal.

He said he was sure the ever-popular challenge of trying to get a golf ball through a tunnel or a hole in a windmill would keep him in business for years to come.

"I would say we are as popular now as we were when we opened. We have been pretty consistent in our number of customers," he stated, while declining to give precise figures.

"Playing mini-golf is not a fad. It is a traditional seaside pastime. It is something which all the generations can enjoy together and it gets people out in the open air for some fun. But you need to keep up standards. I must spend 20 hours a week gardening around the course."

Mr Tiernan opens throughout the year at weekends as well as throughout the school half-term holidays in February and October.

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